Is Paul claiming that our behavior has little effect on the way God regards us? Hardly! A few sentences later he states that if we Christians walk in sin we will not inherit the Kingdom of God, and then Paul reminds us that we will reap what we sow.

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:21)

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:8)

Finally, in the Book of Hebrews:

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. (Hebrews 10:38)

Is this a reminder that we are saved by the Lord's favor and that our consecration, or lack of it, will not significantly affect our destiny?

The Book of Hebrews is the sternest of warnings to experienced, backsliding Christians that if they continue to rest on their attainments in the Gospel (attainments that had cost them the confiscation of their properties), and do not press forward to the "rest" of God, to full union with the Father through Christ, they will not escape the displeasure of God.

Sometimes Hebrews 2:3 is preached to the unsaved. This is a misapplication. Hebrews 2:3 is an admonition to the saints concerning their leaving the basics of salvation and pressing on to perfection, reminding them that neglecting the progressive plan of redemption can lead to severe treatment at the hand of the Lord. We are not directing God's words to their proper audience when we preach Hebrews 2:3 and Romans 6:23 to the unsaved.

If ever there was a book that reveals the fact that faith and works are inseparable, Hebrews is that book.

The "faith" chapter of the Scriptures is the eleventh chapter of the Book of Hebrews. What is the nature of the eleventh chapter of Hebrews? It is an account of works, the right kind of works—the works that result in justification (James 2:21).

The righteous shall live by the kind of faith described in the eleventh chapter of the Book of Hebrews: "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, performed righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens" (Hebrews 11:33,34).

From the offering of Abel to the saints wandering in the caves of the earth, nothing is said in the eleventh chapter of the Book of Hebrews concerning belief in a statement of faith.

What a weak, silly, ineffective "faith" is presented in our current "I'm saved by faith"! It is not a scriptural faith we are clinging to. It is not of the faith, fear of God, and obedience of Noah, Abraham, David, Elijah, Peter, and Paul. Rather, it represents the ability of men by their traditions to turn the Word of God into an excuse for immorality. It is an error of the heart.

To be continued.